The 20-story James H. “Sloppy” Floyd Veterans Memorial Building (or “Sloppy Floyd Building” for short), named for State Representative James Floyd, houses various government agencies and divisions, is the central work location for thousands of Georgia’s state employees.

Many of the area’s commuters unknowingly pass through the building daily, as it is directly connected to the Georgia State Station on MARTA’s east/west rail line. Adjacent to Georgia’s State Capitol Building, the “Sloppy” Floyd Building and the man for whom the structure is named have a unique history.

In the 1970’s, the Georgia Building Authority allowed the state to begin construction on various new buildings. The Sloppy Floyd Building was one of these, planned as part of a new 10-square block State Capitol Complex. While originally deemed only a small part of the complex, the Sloppy Floyd Building opened in 1980 and was ultimately the only structure built completely.

With 800,000 square feet of rentable space, the Sloppy Floyd Building (also sometimes referred to as the “Twin Towers”) is part of a large cluster of tall buildings situated in downtown Atlanta. Though the brick building’s 1970’s architecture is juxtaposed by the constantly developing high-rises of the city, it features several modern amenities, including: a large connected parking deck with covered bridge walk-through; a large cafeteria called the “Capitol Commons” – complete with a Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Barberitos, Quiznos and more; and direct connections to MARTA’s rail and bus services.

The building’s namesake, James Floyd, was a native of Chattooga County in north Georgia. While in high school in the early 1930’s, James was described by coaches as an unusually thin football player whose over-sized football jersey was constantly flopping around his gangly frame. So, coaches began referring to him as “Sloppy.” Unexpectedly, the nickname stuck with Floyd for the rest of his life.

Floyd enlisted as an Army private in 1941, serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II and served until he was discharged as a major in 1946. He later rose to serve as the Adjutant Quartermaster of Georgia’s Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Floyd would go on to represent Chattooga County in Georgia’s House of Representatives for 22 years, where he became chairman of the Georgia Appropriations Committee and developed a strong authority over the state budget. Floyd served in the House of Representatives from 1953 until his death, cause by a sudden heart attack, in 1974.

He was as central a figure in the state legislature during his time, one might say, as the Sloppy Floyd Towers are to state government, today.

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Employees at the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) participate in a number of commuting alternatives to reduce personal stress as well as congestion on the roads.

Robert Huff and Fredricka Preston

Robert Huff enjoys the ability to telework in his role at GDOT.

“The telework program has provided a respite from the long drive, traffic headaches and growing expense involved with commuting back and forth to work,” says Robert. “The rewards of telework are a reduction in stress and more time to concentrate on providing higher quality work for the department.”

Fredricka Preston, who works in human resources, connects telework to GDOT’s focus on relieving road congestion. “Each day I telework,” notes Fredricka, “on that day there is one less car on the roadway to add to Metro Atlanta’s traffic.”

Kelly Johnson, an HR manager for GDOT, helps coordinate telework, compressed workweeks, flexible schedules and other commuting alternatives for employees.

“The benefits include cost savings, increased productivity, improved motivation, skills retention, organizational flexibility, flexible staffing and enhanced customer service,” reports Kelly.

Need a state service? Don’t know whom to call?  Dial 1.800.georgia to reach an agent who will connect you to the right place – right from their home!

From top: Anita Lee, Charlin Gardner, Anika Walker and Joe Gray

1.800.georgia agents are among the many state employees who telework. Employees and managers agree it’s a winning solution for all – including customers.

“Telework helps me be more productive by having a quiet surrounding where I can focus more on listening to and helping my customers,” says agent Anita Lee.

Agent Charlin Gardner agrees. “The telework program provides for a more productive work style in that there are no disruptions during my workday, and it allows for a very relaxed, stress-free environment.”

Anika Walker sums up the personal perks that she and her teammates enjoy. “The financial benefits alone are enormous when you factor in the cost of the hours spent on daily commutes, vehicle maintenance and office attire.”

In addition, says Anika, “Simply having the extra time in the mornings and evenings with my children before and after school – due to not having to spend more than two hours daily traveling – is absolutely priceless.”

Manager Joe Gray says telework is a smart business move.

“From my perspective, the business continuity offered by remote work is one of the most significant benefits. If one agent has an outage that causes them not to be able to take calls, the entire center is not affected.”

For example, in January 2011 when Atlanta roads were covered in ice, Joe’s team could continue to work so customers were not affected. Callers could reach 1.800.georgia while other call centers did not have staff on-site to answer phones.

“Agents are happier working from home, based on the feedback they give me, because they avoid the cost and stress of commuting,” says Joe. “Happy employees are better employees.”